A transportation network for vehicles can include several interconnected main routes on which separate vehicles travel between locations. Some of the main line routes may be single routes, which means that only a single vehicle can travel along the single main line route in a given direction and two vehicles traveling in opposite directions cannot simultaneously travel across the same section of the single main line route. For example, rail vehicles such as trains may travel along a main line track but may be unable to simultaneously travel in opposite directions along the same section of the main line track. However, vehicles may need to travel along the same section of the main line route in an opposite direction. In order to avoid collision between the vehicles traveling in opposite directions on the same section of a single main line route, a siding section of the route may be connected with the main line route.
A siding section of the route may include section of the route that is connected with the main line route and provides an auxiliary path for one of the vehicles traveling in opposite directions on the same single main line route. For example, a first train travelling in a first direction on a main line track can pull off of the main line track onto a siding section of track while a second train travelling in an opposite second direction on the main line track can continue along the main line track and pass the first train on the siding section. This event between two vehicles traveling in opposite directions can be referred to as a “meet event” or a “meet-and-pass event.” The first vehicle can be referred to as a “yielding” vehicle and the second vehicle can be referred to as a “passing” vehicle.
The vehicles may move within the transportation network according to various schedules. The schedules may dictate times that the vehicles are expected to arrive at various locations. However, due to various anticipated or unforeseen circumstances, one or more of the vehicles may be running behind schedule. For example, trains may be behind schedule due to damaged portions of the track, unexpected delays in leaving one or more scheduled locations, and the like.
The meet events can be included in the schedules of the vehicles. If one of the vehicles that participates in a meet event is behind schedule and arrives late to the meet event, then the other vehicle in the meet event may need to stop and wait. For example, if the passing train for a meet event is behind schedule, then the yielding train may continue to the originally scheduled meet event and wait an additional time period for the late passing train to arrive and pass on the main line track. Typically, the yielding train travels at the maximum allowable speed on the main line track to the meet event. As a result, the yielding train has unnecessarily traveled to the meet event earlier than required and at a faster speed than required.
A need exists for a system and method for modifying movement plans or schedules of vehicles that reduces meet events that result in yielding vehicles traveling to the meet event too fast and/or too early due to delays in the passing vehicles.